Press Conference for Film 17: When Silence Turns into Violence

Kosara Mitić’s debut feature turns an ordinary school trip into a portrait of adolescence where encounters with sex, violence, and substance abuse expose a lack of sexual education, and systemic neglect in North Macedonia and the region.

 

The director and crew of 17 attended a press conference at the National Theater this morning. Following its world premiere at the Berlinale, the film will have its regional premiere tonight in the Competition Programme – Narrative Feature Film of the 32nd Sarajevo Film Festival.

 

Producer Tomi Salkovski noted that the film has already been screened at seven festivals and won five awards, while it has yet to premiere in its home country. “The film’s real life starts now, after Sarajevo!” he emphasized.

 

Salkovski and Mitić previously collaborated on two short films. “She insisted on working together on her debut. It took a long time—two years… but it was perfect!”

 

To confirm that the journey from idea to realization was demanding, the director and screenwriter shared the story that inspired her: “In 2017, I read a news story about a girl on a school trip who gave birth in a public restroom at the border and left the baby in the trash. It was shocking, but what shocked me more was the neglect from those around her. How could nobody notice she was pregnant?”

 

Mitić stressed that the film is about a collective failure, not an individual one. “What kind of system allows this? This is a film about the emotional violence of silence.”

 

Following Una Gunjak’s film “Excursion,” it is obvious that adolescent sexual education is lacking across the region. “Young women simply learn that silence is the only acceptable behavior,” Mitić explained.

 

The actors were the same age as their characters during filming, which helped them approach this important topic. “This is much more than a local problem; it is present worldwide, which makes it both worse and more important,” said actor Petar Manić.

 

The casting took two months and began with simple interviews. “I wanted to know more about their personal lives, which heavily influenced the script. I wanted to understand them and allow them to improvise,” the director stated.

 

The film stands out because it was shot almost entirely with a handheld camera and in close-up shots. “I wanted everything to be from Sara’s perspective, to be extremely close to her—both physically and emotionally,” Mitić said. “I literally became one with the camera,” added actress Eva Kostić.

 

The audience noted that this film, though a difficult watch, should be screened in schools.

“The shooting was highly emotional. We actually filmed the birth scene in the exact public restroom where the real girl gave birth,” Mitić revealed. “We prepared a lot. I did tons of research, watched birth videos, and even attended a childbirth at a hospital with Kosara,” Kostić added.

 

Mitić concluded that the film carries a broader message about the transformation of Sara’s character: “Teenagers need to learn how important integrity is. Without it, you have nothing.”